The present invention relates to an imaging device having a plurality of print modes selectable by a user.
Conventionally, as an imaging device, a copier, a printer and a facsimile device as an individual device or a multi-functional device having two or three of such functions. Such a device generally implemented with a plurality of print modes (e.g., a normal print mode and an economical print mode) having different toner (or ink) consumption properties.
An example of such a device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. HEI 9-138621. According to a device disclosed therein, a user firstly sets a print mode, and then the device provides an estimation of a print cost when the printing is performed in the set print mode taking a toner consumption for the set mode into account.
Depending on the image to be printed, the consumed quantities of toner may not be so different regardless of the selected print mode (e.g., the normal mode or the economical mode). In such a case, it is preferable to use the normal mode since it provides an image at higher quality.
According to the convention imaging device as disclosed in the publication, in order for the user to select the appropriate print mode, the user is required to repeatedly execute an operation of selecting one of the print modes available, and check the print cost indicated by the imaging device. Only after all the print costs corresponding to all the print modes are checked, the user can select the appropriate print mode. Therefore, according to the conventional device, in order to find the appropriate print mode from among a plurality of print modes, a troublesome work is required, which is also time-consuming work.